The following chart below is invaluable. It's a jpeg and you're welcome to
download and share it with others. In fact, everything on this website is
free for you to share. I use it all the time in
studying or figuring out chords and tunings. Something amazing, that I
recently learned, and had always wondered, is what's the difference between
a Major 7th and a Dominant 7th chord? And why do they call it a dominant
7th? I think this is something good to know as a musician, since we
use 7th chords all the time.

It's quite easy. Whoever named everything in the music world
decided to call the first note of any scale a TONIC. They called the 4th
note of the scale a SUB-DOMINANT. And they called the 5th note of any scale
a DOMINANT. That's key information to understand why they call it a
“dominant 7th” chord. Who knows why someone called a tree a tree, or a cloud
a cloud; but this is just music language. So having said that...

In ANY particular scale, if you start at the 5th note (which
is the DOMINANT note in the scale) and find your 1-3-5-7flat, then you'll
find a natural dominant 7th chord in ANY scale. Pretty neat, huh? By the
way, the only difference between a Major 7th and a Dominant 7th is that a
dominant 7th note is flatted a half-note. Always, that's just a rule in
music. When musicians refer to a 7th chord, they always mean a dominant 7th
unless otherwise stated. So take for example the key of F. If you start at
the 5th note (i.e., the DOMINANT), then your 1-3-5-flatted7th would be
respectively, C- E - G - Bb. Thus, you have a natural C dominant 7th chord
occurring in the key of F, beginning with the DOMINANT 5th note. So that's
why they call it a “dominant 7th chord.” Every key has a natural dominant
7th chord; and every dominant 7th chord comes from some particular key. The
chart below shows all the relationships. If none of this makes any sense to
you, it's ok, just remember that a dominant 7th means to flat the 7th note a
half-tone.

Nothing has been changed in the following chord chart. So
for the key of C we find that the 7th note is a B note. So we flat it to a
Bb to give us a C dominant 7th chord. Take a look at the key of F though and
you'll find, starting at the 5th (DOMINANT) note, that the 7th note from
there is already flatted for us to Bb. It's a naturally occurring C dominant
7th chord in the key of F. Again, that's why they call it a dominant 7th
chord, i.e., because it is found in a scale that begins on the 5th (or
DOMINANT) note of any particular scale.

Music Chord Structure Study
Chart

Tunings Used By
Jerry Byrd And Others

C6

*Each steel
guitar tuning is a unique tool as an extension of your
personality, but the C6th tuning is a Swiss-knife for chords.

*Jerry Byrd used
the C6th + A7 extensively. The 7th chord is often used as a
passing chord. Jerry also does a lot of melodic work by using
strings 1 and 6 together with bar slants.

1 - E
2 - C
3 - A
4 - G
5 - E
6 - C#
7 - C
8 - A

E9

1 - E
2 - B
3 - G#
4 - F#
5 - E
6 - D
7 - B
8 - G# or E (usually G#)

*The "Admirable
Byrd" LP and can be played on the E9th pedal steel guitar, which
is a chromatic tuning. Of course, don't use the pedals or knees.
The first seven (1-7) strings above are identical to the bottom
seven open strings on the E9th pedal steel guitar. Most of
Jerry's E9th tabs use a G# on string 8, but a couple switch
strings 7 and 8 (i.e., G# on 7, and B on 8). On "Blues
Guaranteed," Jerry uses the above tuning.

Tunings for Various Top Notch Steel
Guitar PlayersTop is 1st (or thinnest) string!

Jules Ah See

E13th

C13th

B11th

E

E

E

C#

C

C#

G#

A

A

F#

G

F#

D

E

D#

B

C

B

G#

Bb

F#

E

C

B

Alan Akaka

C13th

B11th

E

E

C

C#

A

A

G

F#

E

D#

C

B

Bb

F#

C

B

Eddie Alkire

E Harp

E

C#

B

A

G#

G

F#

F

E

C#

Barney Isaacs
Jr.

C13th

B11th

E13th

A13th

E

E

E

E

C

C#

C#

B

A

A

G#

A

G

F#

F#

G

E

D#

D

E

C

B

B

C

Bb

A (F#)

G#

G

C

B

E

C

Bobby Black

C6th+A7

E

C

A

G

E

C#

A

B

Harry Brooker

E13th

E

C#

B

G#

E

D

B

E

Cindy
Cashdollar

A6th

C6th

E13th

E

G

E

C#

E

C#

A

C

B

F#

A

G#

E

G

F#

C#

E

D

A

C

G#

F#

A

E

George de
Fretes

D6th

D

B

A

F#

D

B

A

F#

Hanalei
DeWilligen

D13th

D

B

A

F#

D

C

John Ely

C13th

B11th

A Diatonic

D9th

E13th

E

E

E

E

E

C

C#

C#

C

C#

A

A

B

A

B

G

F#

A

F#

G#

E

D#

G#

E

F#

C

C#

F#

C

D

Bb

A

F

A

G#

C

B

D

D

E

Ken Emerson

G6th

D

B

G

E

B

G

Roger Filberto

E7th

E

B

G#

E

D

B

Herbert
Hanawahine

C13th

E7th

A11th

A11th (2nd tuning)

E

G#

F#

F#

C

E

D

D

A

B

B

B

G

G#

G

G

E

E

E

E

C

D

C#

C#

Bb

B

A

G

C

E

A

A

Rudy Wairata

D6th

D

B

A

F#

D

B

A

F#

George
“Keoki” Lake

A Major 6th/7th

E

C#

A

G

F#

E

C#

A

Don Helms

E6th

B11th

E13th

E13th

G#

E

G#

G#

E

C#

E

E

C#

A

C#

C#

B

F#

B

B

G#

D#

G#

G#

E

B

E

E

C#

A

D

D

A

F#

B

E

Keaau
Waugh

C6th

G

E

C

A

E

C

David Kelii

G11th

C6th

D9th

E

E

E

C

C

C

A

A

A

F

G

F#

D

E

E

B

C

C

Sol Hoopii

C# Minor

F#9th

A Major

C# Minor 7

E

E

E

E

C#

C#

C#

C#

G#

G#

A

G#

E

E

E

E

B

A#

C#

D

E

F#

A

B

David Kelii

G11th

C6th

D9th

E

E

E

C

C

C

A

A

A

F

G

F#

D

E

E

B

C

C

Bobby Koefer

A6+F#7

C Minor 6th

E13th

E

G

E

C#

Eb

C#

A

C

B

F#

A

G#

E

G

F#

C#

Eb

D

A#

A

G#

E

Leon
McAuliffe

*Santo & Johnny used the A6th,
as well as Cindy Cashdollar and Billy Hew Len. It is a
popular Western Swing tuning. The A6th is nothing more than
a C6th with a high G, tuned three half-steps lower. Cool
huh?

A6

E13th

?

Bass Tuning

E

E (root)

E

D

C#

C# (6)

C#

B

A

B (5)

A

G

F#

G# (3)

F#

E

E

F# (9)

F

D

C#

D (b7)

Eb

C

A

G# (3)

Ab (High)

B

F#

E (root)

D

A

In his helpful
book "Slide
Rules," Andy Volk says that Leon used the G6th tuning on
his 1st neck (high to low: G B D E D C B A). I couldn't help
but notice it resembles Jerry's
C Diatonic tuning.

*I used to be
intimidated by Herb's A6th, thinking it was Western Swing, a
different animal than Hawaiian. Then one day I realized that I had
been playing his tuning all along. The A6th is nothing but the
C6th tuning with a high G, lowered by three half-steps. Wallah!

Casey Olsen

C6th

B11th

E

E

C

C#

A

A

G

F#

E

D#

C

C#

Bb

B

C

Dick Sanft

Cmaj9th#11

C13th

F#

E

E

C

D

A

B

G

G

E

E

C

G

Bb

C

C

Benny Rogers

*The tuning below is simply two
half-notes higher than standard C6th with a Bb on string 6.

D13th

F#

D

B

A

F#

C

David “Feet” Rogers

*David was steel guitarist with
"Sons Of Hawaii." The 6th string is one octave lower than the
5th string.

*In my opinion Henry Allen best
demonstrates the musical beauty of using a Bb on the C6th. It
defines his steel playing as he really makes extensive use of the Bb
in his recordings. Great musicianship!

*Mike
Neer has some great advanced tabs and top quality backing tracks for
Coconut Grove
(A7th), Sweetnin'
(A6th - Mike tabs it exactly like the original song) and other cool
songs. The above A7th tuning provides some awesome chord expansion for
C6th fans. You've got to try it!

Tom Morrell's 10 String

E13th

G#

F#

E

C#

B

G#

F#

E

D

E

Tom Morrell's Triple
Neck

A6th

C6th

E9/13th

E

E

G#

C#

C

E

A

A

C#

F#

G

B

E

E

G#

C#

C

F#

A

A

D

F#

E

G#

*Note: A6th is simply the
C6th lowered 3 half tones, with a high E instead of G. If you added a
high G on the C6th, you'd have the same tuning. A6th also uses slightly
thicker string gauges for a richer tone. A6th is great for Western
Swing, C6th is used mostly for Hawaiian.
Check This Awesome Jamboree Out!

*MP3
of me playing this tuning! (just some ideas). I raise the 2nd string
behind the bar, by gently pulling with all three fingers. Using three
fingers makes it much easier to pull.

David J. Stewart

B11th

C6th

C6th Low

E

E

E

C#

C

C

A

A

A

F#

G

G

D#

E

E

C#

C

C (Low bass)

A

G

*I generally use the C6th,
as I can play it by ear. I do also like to use other tunings frequently,
for specific songs, like the F# minor 9th for "Paradise
Isle," B11th for "Sand" or Herb
Remington's A6th for "Sweetnin'" and "Yes, He's Gone!"

Frans Van
Oirschot

D6th

D
B
A
F#
D
B
A
F#

Vance Terry

A6th

E
C#
A
F#
E
C#

Bobby Ingano

C6th

C6th

E

G

C

E

A

C

G

A

E

G

Bb

E

Bb

C6th with added
top G

By just adding a top G, you now have a
major triad chord on strings 1,2 & 3. Jerry Byrd liked a high G on his
7-string Rickenbacher lap steel. The G gives a nice Western Swing sound.
In fact, Herb Remington's A6th tuning is nothing more than the C6th with
added G tuned down three half-tones. Pretty cool huh?

Duke Ching

I met Duke Ching many years
ago in Joliet at the 1993 HSGC. I asked him about his 32-string 4-neck
Fender, and he said he uses a B11th on his 1st Neck toward him, then C6th,
E13th and finally, C minor 7th. I wish I had got the individual strings,
but I had only been playing a year and was only interested in pedal steel
at the time.

Andy interestingly says that over
the years he pared down his tunings and got rid of all the eight-string
guitars. Now, as of 2008, he just plays 6-string: C6th, C6th/A7, D major,
and Dmai7 (and once in a blue moon, A6th or C Diatonic).
Here's a
cool B11th song and tablature book by Andy.

Andy says, “Like a lot of players,
I got caught up in trying to play in multiple tunings without really
getting deeply enough into any of them. Once I narrowed it all down, my
playing improved. Unlike almost everyone else, I found that eight-string
tunings were a kind of trap for me. Instead of opening doors, they seemed
to close them so I went back down to 6 strings.”[1]
Here are Andy's tunings as of 2008, from high to low:

C6th

C6/A7

D
Maj

D
Maj 7

1 E
2 C
3 A
4 G
5 E
6 C

1 E
2 C
3 A
4 G
5 E
6 C

1 D
2 A
3 F#
4 D
5 A
6 D

1 C#
2 A
3 F#
4 D
5 A
6 D

Jerry Byrd's
Tunings

Jerry most often
worked using the C6th tuning, which he invented in 1938. Then the
E9th tuning. Then I'd say B11th. F#min9 was less frequently used, as
it is a specialty tuning, and beautiful. Jerry loved the Diatonic,
which he invented. It's really interesting, but I've never enjoyed
it like the C6th. If you're new to lap steel, try them all, but make
C6th your primary tuning to start, then go from there. Here is Jerry
playing the beautiful song "Estrellita"
in B11th tuning. And "Kawohikukapulani"
in the beautiful E9th tuning.

C6th+A7

C
Diatonic

B11th

C6th+A7

E9

F#min9

E13

E
C
A
G
E
C#
C
A (Low)

E
C
B
A
G
F
E

E
C#
A
F#
D#
C#
B
B (Low)

E
C
A
G
E
C#

E
B
G#
F#
E
D
B
E

E
C#
G#
E
A
F#
B
G#

E
C#
B
G#
E
D
G#
B

Note that Jerry
Byrd's ADMIRABLE BYRD album was all recorded in the E9th
tuning. CHIME IN
is one of my favorite songs, all played using harmonics.

Bud Tutmarc's C# Minor Tuning

One of the most popular
old-timey tunings is the C#minor (Bud Tutmarc's favorite tuning), which
interestingly uses the exact SAME first 4 strings as the F#9th tuning;
namely, (highest string to lowest) E - C# - G# - E

The C#m uses a B on the
5th string, and then an E on the 6th; whereas the F#9th uses a nice low A#
on the 5th string, and a low F# for the 6th string. I like those low notes,
which really makes a 6-string sound like a larger neck.

My point is that some
steel players get frustrated because of so many tunings, but if you compare
them like I just did, then you will realize that it's not really a big deal
to use various tunings. When I retune from C6th to F#9th to play
Paradise Isle, I know that I also have a C#m tuning ready to go on
strings 1 through 4.

Playing the E9th pedal
steel has really helped me to understand the different non-pedal tunings.
Open you have an E9th (the 1st and 7th strings are the 9ths, i.e., F#).
Using the A and B pedals produces an E13th tuning. Lower the 8th string a
half tone, keeping pedals A and B down, and now you have a B11th Tuning.
With all those tunings you can play anything! Check out Bud Isaacs playing
Hawaiian style on an old Fender 8-string pedal steel, on the classic song
Hawaiian Sunset.

By the way, Hawaiian is
not a particular tuning, it is a style of playing, utilizing different
techniques and learned to avoid using the pedals. Authentic Hawaiian cannot
have the "twang" of the pedals. Don't get me wrong, some of the best
Hawaiian steel guitar I've heard is on E9th pedal steel, but it's
Country/Hawaiian my friend. Here's another Bud Isaacs heart-breaker,
Melody of Love. He really captures what the E9th is supposed to sound
like in my humble opinion.

Bud isn't using some $700
guitar effects processor, no BOSS digital delay, no fancy stomp boxes or
signal processing equipment. Nope, he's just playing pure and lovely
uncluttered steel guitar. With all the sound-enhancing equipment being used
today (which we've come to expect), and I think we've lost the art and science
of true stereophonic sound.

Kids today have no idea of
what real stereophonic music sounds like. People go buy a 5-piece surround
sound speaker system with a woofer, and think that's the best sound
available; but the best amplification system in the world is worthless if
the music being played wasn't recorded reel-to-reel analog, or the old LP
records which captured the genuine music and vocals of the musicians and
singers. I can explain digital very easily. It's all 1's and 0's. So your
music gets chopped off at the high and the low.

Now digital has far more
superb editing capabilities that make it irresistible to use. I love all the
great
aspects of digital recording; such as removing hiss, undo/redo, and graphic
equalizers. But as far as the quality of sound, digital
just doesn't have the analog warmth that comes from tube amps, reel-to-reel
recordings and the old technologies. Those big capacitors, transistors,
rectifiers, diodes, and cool solid state electronic components were awesome
compared to digital. The old tube amps are even better. I'll take a tub amp
anyway over solid state, That's just me.

Here's a list of the most
popular non-pedal steel guitar tunings (and a bunch more)...

William “Bill” George Leavitt was born in Flint,
Michigan on October 4, 1926 and died in Framingham, Massachusetts on
November 4, 1990. In 1948, Bill went to Berklee College Of Music,
Boston and was the 3rd guitar student they had ever admitted.
Graduating in 1951 he worked as an arranger and guitarist for many
singers including Ella Fitzgerald, Patti Page and Andy Williams. He
also co-authored Les Paul's and Mary Ford's 1953 hit tune “My Baby's
Comin' Home.” In his later years Bill invented the “Leavitt lap
steel guitar tuning” (from low to high: C#, E, G, Bb, C and D). I
have worked much with the tuning and it is truly amazing. The tuning
hasn't caught on simply because there hasn't been much recorded with
it, but it is really cool.

Jerry
Byrd's Diatonic Tuning and Other Tablature is Available from
Scotty's Music

Jerry Byrd went from using C6th his entire music
career to mostly using his Diatonic tuning (treble to bass: E - C -
B - A - G - F - E) in the years before he passed away in 2005. I've
never got into the Diatonic tuning much, but it is genius. I had
memorized DANNY BOY at one time and could play it through on
the Diatonic tuning. I can only play the C6th tuning by ear, having
learned it's scales (and E9th pedal steel too). Scotty's Music in
St. Louis sells Jerry's arrangement (and about a dozen other songs
in the Diatonic tuning).

You can obtain Jerry
Byrd's awesome instruction course and Jerry's recordings from
Scotty's Music in St. Louis, Missouri.

Scotty's also sells over 100 professional tablature arrangements by
Jerry Byrd in C6th and other tunings, including E13, B11th, A7th,
D9th. It's well worth the money. Song of the Islands in C6th
by Jerry Byrd comes with 4 different intros you can play. Many of
Jerry's songs are tabbed out exactly as played on the original
album, but others you'll have to figure out on your own from his
earlier recordings.

Taro Patch
Open G TuningI'm not into the Taro
patch tuning, as I've pretty much found everything I need using th
C6th, D9th and B11th tunings; but open G is definitely a beautiful
and popular tuning and I want you to know about it (it may be just
what you're searching for and more comfortable for your style).
The Taro patch tuning falls very well for all the chimes work.

High Bass G
and A Tuning and OthersFrom the Taro Patch G
tuning, the High Bass G tuning evolved on acoustic steel guitar.
Eventually many players, like Sol Hoopii raised the strings two half
tones to form the High Bass A tuning. The High Bass A tuning evolved
from a G tuning popular with acoustic steel guitar players. Sol
Hoopii invented the C# tuning (treble to bass: E, C#, G#, E, B, E)
and first recorded with it in 1929 on his acoustic steel guitar. The
C# tuning would eventually become Sol's main tuning on electric
steel guitar and many Western Swing players would follow using the
tuning.

High Bass A was the most
popular Hawaiian tuning used on acoustic Hawaiian guitars prior to
the mid 1930's (and still today with acoustic steel and dobro
players) until electric lap steels were first introduced. The
HIGH BASS A tuning was used extensively by Sol Hoopii and others
prior to 1935. When the electric steel guitar was born, C# tunings
became very popular instead.

When electric steels came
out, the High Bass A didn't sound as nice as the Low Bass A tuning.
Today, like on the standard C6th tuning (the BEST tuning for
Hawaiian music), the strings go from treble to bass and sound very
nice. The F#m9th tuning has some really low bottom strings and is
one of my favorites to play Paradise Isle, Sweet Someone,
and May Day Is Lei Day In Hawaii.

Dobros are tuned in what
was originally called by Hawaiian guitarists G high-bass (treble to
bass: D - B - G - D - B - G). The old A LOW BASS
tuning was adapted to high bass (treble to bass: E, C#, A, E,
C#, A) and transposed to G. This is the standard acoustic steel
tuning. Hawaiian players often used other tunings for more
complex chords. A 1930's Gibson catalog, featuring several models of
steel guitar, lists a chart of tunings, and suggests the use of an
E7th tuning for advanced players. This tuning is (treble to bass: E,
B, G#, E, D, B) with use of the 2nd string up to C# sometimes
instead of a B note.

All of the tunings
below are listed from the high string (treble) to the low string
(bass)

Sol Hoopii Played in a
number of variations on E major as well as a Low A Bass and
High A Bass. Sol Hoopii switched to electric lap steel around
1935 and developed a beautiful C# minor tuning, shown here from
treble to bass (E, C#, G#, E, D, B) which allowed more sophisticated
chord and melody work than the open A or open G tunings in use at
the time.

Sol Hoopii's TuningsStrings are listed from 1st
string (smallest) to bottom (thickest). The last tuning listed, F#
minor 9th, was also used by Dick McIntire, a
beautiful strum tuning for songs like, “Sweet Someone,” “May Dei
Is Lei Day In Hawaii” and “Paradise Isle”). The F# minor 9th gives
you two tunings in one: C# minor on the first four strings, and then
F# minor 9th on all the strings strummed together.

1

2

3

4

5

6

A
Low Bass

E

C#

A

E

A

E

A
High Bass

E

C#

A

E

C#

A

E
Major

E

B

G#

E

B

E

C# minor (Bud Tutmarc)

E

C#

G#

E

D

B

F#
minor 9th

E

C#

G#

E

A#

F#

Bud Tutmarc was a personal
friend and probably the biggest fan, to my understanding, of Sol
Hoopii, particularly because as Christians they both loved Gospel
hymns on the steel guitar.
Check YouTube
for some of their videos (Bud always uses the C# minor tuning,
as noted above).
Here's Sol
Hoopii from 1943. Here's an audio of Bud playing
Lovely Hula
Hands (you'll hear his beautiful “P-tah” that he does). Every
steel guitarist needs to hear Bud Tutmarc's albums, and his unique
“P-tah” that he does with his fingers (which is his musical
signature). Every musician has their own musical signature, unique
from all the rest. It's that certain sound that immediately let's
you know who the steel guitarist is (if they've developed their
skills enough to let the instrument become an extension of their
personality). That takes hard work! I can listen to most steel
recordings and tell you who is working the steel guitar. Lloyd Green
is unmistakable, my favorite. So also is Jerry Byrd unmistakable.
You need to hear Marty Robbins singing with Jerry Byrd backing
him... Wowza!

Here's some helpful tabs
for the F# minor 9th tuning mentioned previously, just to get you
started. The low strings produce a wonderful sound. I've learned to
tune it by ear. Once I raise string 2 from C to C#, and then lower
string 3 from A to G#, and then lower string 4 from G to E, I can
hear what comes next for the other three bottom strings. It's a
beautiful tuning, but limited for playing chords. I've tabbed out “Paradise
Isle” for you in this tuning. And here are a few other tabs
also...

Jerry Byrd (1920-2005) is
one the most influential lap steel players of all times, with his
development of the C6th tuning as well as providing the world with
many of the Hawaiian lap steel standards that we hear today. Jerry
was the best and he knew it, standing head-and-shoulders above the
rest. Jerry single-handedly saved the steel guitar from extinction
in Hawaii. Try as they may, no steel guitar players have matched the
excellence of Jerry's masterful steel guitar techniques and style.
It's great to have such a challenge and an example to follow. I am
grateful for the dozens of albums which Jerry recorded throughout
his career, leaving us a legacy to learn from.

Here are nearly all of Jerry
Byrd's tunings throughout his career (I'm sure there's more), which include 6, 7 and 8 string necks.
Enjoy!

Herb Remington used the
A6th extensively, as on the song Sweetnin', which is a C6th
dropped three half tones. The lower strings aren't as tight and
provide a fatter tone. The A6th is super popular in Western Swing.
For years I had no idea that Western Swing (like Tom Morrell and
Herb Remington) were using the same tuning as me (C6th), just
dropped three half-tones with an added G on top (that is, a high G
on C6th). I could never get used to that high G, so I just use E (as
many players do). If you want to get your C6th to sound more like
Western Swing, then add the high G (or in the case of A6th, a high
E). I've never seen an A6th tuning without the high E, but with C6th
it is optional. The added high string gives you a nice major chord.
Jerry Byrd used a 7-string pre-WWII Rickenbacher on many of his
earlier recordings, and he used a high G.

Dobro Open G (Drop
E) TuningOne of my favorite dobro players
is Greg Booth from Anchorage, Alaska, who has shared hundreds of wonderful
videos on YouTube of his awesome performances. One of my favorites is Greg's
solo performance of Somewhere Over
The Rainbow (tuning low to high: E, B, D, G, B, D).

E - B - D
- G - B - D

Greg calls this his “Drop E
Tuning,” which is the standard G tuning with the bottom G dropped to an E
note instead. Nice! And here is a heart-puller by Greg called (one of my
favorites), MAIDEN'S PRAYER.
Greg does some nice trills in there, as well as some great open string work
to raise the eye-brows of the listener (as Jeff Newman used to say on pedal
steel guitar). You can see and hear some really great banjo bluegrass style
licks and open string work in this arrangement.

Dobro, Open
D (Old Timey) Tuning
Probably THE MOST popular dobro tuning is
'Open G' (which is my favorite). A great song to learn and play on this tuning is
AMAZING GRACE.
The 'Open D' tuning' is very different from the 'Open G' tuning, not just
another key. 'Open D' tuning has that pure old-timey, back country, dirt
roads, bluesy, weeping willow tree, southern country and back-hill Tennessee
and Kentucky sound. Whew, that about said it all. The tuning is easy to
remember, just spell “DAD” twice, but adjust the third string to F#. Tune
your dobro to this tuning and you'll instantly recognize the classic dobro
sounds you've heard all your life.

It's a beautiful tuning to
learn and play, and you'll instantly recognize it's famous sound in many
Bluegrass recordings...

D - A - D - F# - A - D

The 'Open D' is very versatile, mostly used
in Bluegrass, blues and gospel. 'Open G' is better for melody work for
Country and Gospel music, as evidenced by MAIDEN'S PRAYER.

Note that Jerry
Byrd's ADMIRABLE BYRD album was all recorded in the E9th
tuning. CHIME IN
is one of my favorite songs, all played using harmonics.

Here's a few .JPG images that I made
with Microsoft Publisher, showing the individual notes per
fret on the C6th tuning. I made various charts for the different
C6th tunings, so you can copy the one(s) you like to your desktop or
website. Please feel free to copy anything from my website. I want
to share freely with others. The following charts will help you
figure out different chords on the various frets. I think it's a
very helpful tool for steel guitarists. The C6th tuning is excellent
because of it's broad chord availabilities. These charts will work
well with the preceding chord information.

Above: In the song “Rainy
Day Woman” (YouTube video) by Waylon Jennings you can see Ralph Mooney in
Action. Ralph converted his lower C6th neck into what you see above.

Billy Robinson's Extended C6th
Tuning

The following YouTube video is by
a wonderful gentleman named Billy
Robinson, a legendary steel guitarist, whom I had the privilege of
meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee back in 1992 at a steel guitar convention. I
first heard him play the song, Candy Kisses, a classic. Anyway, the
following video is nothing less than amazing. Billy is using a 10-string,
non-pedal, extended C6th tuning [ (D-G-E-C-A-G-E-C-A-F) ... D being the 1st
string (highest on top) and F the 10th, or lowest string on bottom. You can
hear Billy perform “Crazy” using
this interesting extended tuning...

D -G - E - C - A - G - E - C - A-
F

Billy
Robinson's Extended C6th
Tuning

String No.

C6th
Tuning

Billy's String Size

Standard String Size

1st

D

.017 P

.017 P

2nd

G

.012 P

.015 P

3rd

E

.015 P

.016 P

4th

C

.016 P

.017 P

5th

A

.018 P

.020 P

6th

G

.024 W

.030 W

7th

E

.028 W

.035 W

8th

C

.036 W

.040 W

9th

A

.042 W

.045 W

10th

F

.050 W

.055 W

Billy never pulls the 2nd string to raise
it, but he does the 1st

Tune both “A” notes a little flat.

I've
never seen such incredible bar slants like he does in here. He uses a 12
string bar I believe. The song is named, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS
ME, a classic steel guitar favorite. This'll make the dogs howl for
sure! Enjoy!) More
Billy Robinson Videos. This is real music folks.

Here below is one of my favorite steel guitar artists,
Kayton Roberts playing a 1941 Dual 8-string Fender along with his loyal wife
playing a Wurlitzer organ, performing the Hawaiian classic, Mapuana,
in an up-tempo arrangement. I have more information about Kayton and his
steel guitar on the “Helpful Advice For
Steel Guitarists” page. Here's Kayton's own words about his tunings...

“Well, my main tuning is
C6th, that’s my bread and butter neck. It has a little variation.
Staring with the first string on the small end: E, C, A, G, E, C#, A, A
(an octave lower). You will notice that I have two A’s together...the
second is real low for that boom effect. It’s almost like a big third
more than anything else. I use it only occasionally when I’m doing some
thump style. Getting back to that C#, normally if you’re playing this
C6th tuning and you rake across it, it will sound out of tune. But, if
you rake across the strings and leave the second string out, then you’ve
got a whole new tuning...and you see that second string there, the C, if
you pull that a half step, it will fall right in tune with that tuning.
You can really play some jazzy sounding stuff with it. It makes a whole
new ball game. It’s like having a dual tuning. And on the other neck
I’ve got a special tuning...it’s for rides and special things. The first
string is F, D, A, F, G, Eb, C, F, but I couldn’t remember these if I
didn’t right them down. I keep a list at home in case someone calls and
wants to know. Don’t mind sharing these cause I don’t have any secrets.
Of course, Hank doesn’t like notes played on the high register, so I’m
usually limited to playing on the lower end.

...In the beginning, God
created the heavens and the earth, he gave man so many good things to
enjoy. He gave us a steel guitar to play if we choose to. This to me, is
the most expressive instrument in the world. It fulfills a special
hunger in my life and it won’t hurt you, as a lot of bad things in this
world will. I met my wife Iva Lee while playing the steel guitar, our
children followed, altogether they are my most treasured possessions!”

SOURCE: Steel
Guitar World magazine, Jan/Feb, 1993 issue

Kayton is using the C6th Tuning, which he tunes [from high to
low: E, C, A, G, E, C#, A, A (low bass on 8th string, an octave lower than
string 7)]